Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 9 : Contrary to the stand taken so far by CPI-M's Kerala unit, the party's West Bengal unit has demanded a statement from the party politburo on a financial dealings involving Kerala State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan's son.

The Communist Party of India-Marxist's Bengal unit also wants a politburo statement after party General Secretary Sitaram Yechury came under fire at the Thiruvananthapuram district committee meeting here last week.

At the two-day CPI-M state committee meeting early this week, the demand for politburo statement on the two issues was raised since "these had dented the party image at the national level".

The Kerala unit was not in favour of giving Yechury a third term in the upper house of Parliament. The Kerala unit also voted at the Central Committee meeting in Kolkata to oppose Yechury's support for CPI-M tie-up with the Congress to fight the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Things heated up within the party when Kodiyeri's elder son Binoy Balakrishnan's financial dealings in Dubai came under public scrutiny after an Arab businessman accused Binoy of owing him money.

The CPI-M's Kerala unit, during its State Secretariat meeting here last month, dismissed Binoy's issue as a "business deal between two businessmen".

Now, all eyes are set on CPI-M State Committee meeting here next week, called to discuss an upcoming party conference in later this month.